New Alienware M17X R3 Intel/Nvidia - Flickering Colors on main screen

[j.morris]

So I just got myself a new Alienware M17X R3 laptop, which has an Intel IGP, and a discreet NVidia GT460M.

I tried installing Kubuntu from the regular 64-bit install, but when it set the video mode of the card (assuming IGP), I got flickering rainbow colors and no text on the screen.

So then I decided to install using the alternate 64-bit CD in text mode. The install worked just fine.

However, upon rebooting into the new install, I got the flicker rainbow colors again (never a viewable CLI or desktop, just flickering colors)

Edit: update title
The CLI was apparently there, and I was able to log into the computer blindly, and install openssh-server and was able to log into the computer with ssh. I then did a quick:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

to get the latest software. Rebooted and got the same flickering screen and essentially an unusable computer. This is a fresh install as of 22/06/2011, with the above commands applied.

I'll attach a couple of files. First, the output of lspci and lsmod. Second, the results of dmesg after booting. I do see a couple of oddities on the dmesg output, but dont know what to do about it.

I've seen a very few messages of other people with similar problems. However I've seen no solid answers. Anyone have any ideas?

[ardvark71]

Re: New Alienware M17X R3 Intel/Nvidia

Hi...

Welcome to the forums

If you can get to a readable CLI, does this page help?

Regards...

[j.morris]

Re: New Alienware M17X R3 Intel/Nvidia

If you can get to a readable CLI, does this page help?

I logged into the computer with ssh again to try this. vgaswitcheroo appears to be active in the kernel.

as root:

echo ON > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switched
<nothing apparent happens, no log entry etc.>

echo DIS > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch
[ 109.423122] vga_switcheroo: client 1 refused switch

echo OFF > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch
[ 133.327567] VGA switcheroo: switched nouveau off
[ 133.327579] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Disabling fbcon acceleration...
[ 133.327584] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Unpinning framebuffer(s)...
[ 133.327656] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Evicting buffers...
[ 133.338630] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Idling channels...
[ 133.338652] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Suspending GPU objects...
[ 134.058287] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: And we're gone!
[ 134.058312] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: PCI INT A disabled
[ 134.076416] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: power state changed by ACPI to D3


echo ON > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch
[ 151.640388] VGA switcheroo: switched nouveau on
[ 151.640397] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: We're back, enabling device...
[ 151.640431] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: power state changed by ACPI to D0
[ 151.660061] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: power state changed by ACPI to D0
[ 151.660112] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: restoring config space at offset 0x1 (was 0x100003, writing 0x100007)
[ 151.660139] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: power state changed by ACPI to D0
[ 151.660147] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: power state changed by ACPI to D0
[ 151.660162] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16
[ 151.660170] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: setting latency timer to 64
[ 151.660176] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: POSTing device...
[ 151.660182] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Parsing VBIOS init table 0 at offset 0x7BC6
[ 151.731391] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Parsing VBIOS init table 1 at offset 0x82BA
[ 151.799835] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Parsing VBIOS init table 2 at offset 0x94BA
[ 151.799849] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Parsing VBIOS init table 3 at offset 0x94C4
[ 151.799936] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Parsing VBIOS init table 4 at offset 0x9699
[ 151.799941] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Parsing VBIOS init table at offset 0x96FE
[ 151.829811] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Restoring GPU objects...
[ 151.925930] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Reinitialising engines...
[ 152.235714] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: failed to load fuc409d
[ 152.235733] [drm] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: Restoring mode...

echo DIS > /sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo/switch
[ 178.430430] vga_switcheroo: client 1 refused switch


meanwhile, the screen keeps flickering the entire time.

[j.morris]

Re: New Alienware M17X R3 Intel/Nvidia

Just hooked up an external monitor to the VGA port (not HDMI or mini display port) and the video looks fine.

The main display still flickers when I switch to it.

Maybe a similar problem as this: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...ux/+bug/800226

but not exactly.

I guess now that I can see a gui, I'll see about filing a bug report.

[ardvark71]

Re: New Alienware M17X R3 Intel/Nvidia

I guess now that I can see a gui, I'll see about filing a bug report.

Best wishes on getting this resolved, I'm not sure what else to suggest here.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Regards...

[charles052]

Re: New Alienware M17X R3 Intel/Nvidia - Flickering Colors on main screen

Found this on the Ubuntu forums: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1491729

Could it have something to do with refresh rate?

[Guest]

Re: New Alienware M17X R3 Intel/Nvidia - Flickering Colors on main screen

Hi, I'm having the exact same flashing screen problem as you on my M17 R3 running Linux Mint 11. Did you ever find a solution to the problem?

[j.morris]

Re: New Alienware M17X R3 Intel/Nvidia - Flickering Colors on main screen

I did find a solution of sorts.

After much digging, I found a PPA called xorg edgers

https://launchpad.net/~xorg-edgers/+archive/ppa

It includes a fixed intel driver. My main laptop screen works perfectly with it.

However, it looks like the total solution to hybrid graphics is still a bit off. I'm wondering what the state of hybrid graphics machines will be come October?

[Guest]

Re: New Alienware M17X R3 Intel/Nvidia - Flickering Colors on main screen

Thank you,
I'm gonna try that right away. Just one thing, does this mean that you switched over to your integrated intel graphics card completely and can't utilize the nvidia card in linux at all?

I'm looking into bumblebee as well, but no luck so far...

[ardvark71]

Re: New Alienware M17X R3 Intel/Nvidia - Flickering Colors on main screen

However, it looks like the total solution to hybrid graphics is still a bit off. I'm wondering what the state of hybrid graphics machines will be come October?

Hi...

I'm not sure but I'm glad you found a workaround until then.

Regards...